Counterbalance Forklift Trucks – All There Is To Know About Them

The job of lifting heavy items and moving them from one place to another obviously requires the use of specialist equipment. The packaging, transportation, distribution and storage industries are completely dependent on these machines to help manage their daily operations. On one side, we have heavy duty conveyor belts that are used for the logistical operations of companies like UPS and others. But in most cases, huge and heavy packages that are required to be moved and stacked on top of one another require some level of manual intervention. This is where forklift trucks come into the picture.

Many people ask us a question that too many of us within the industry take for granted; namely, 'what are the different types of forklift truck, and what do they do? Read on below as we talk you through the major types of forklift trucks, along with their primary uses.

Counterbalance forklift trucks

These are the most common and most popular types of forklift trucks out there. In fact, any mention of this equipment and people instinctively think about counterbalance trucks because they happen to be the most practical and economical solution for the lifting and moving requirements of most industries. These trucks have the forklifts protruding from the front face of the machine, with no out rigging legs or arms, meaning the truck can be driven up to the exact location of the load or racking. This mobility is one of the most important reasons behind the popularity of these types of trucks in the market.

As the name suggests, these trucks have weights placed towards the rear of the machine to offset the weights being lifted by the forklifts. These machines come in different varieties depending upon the power source they make use of. They can be electric, gas or diesel powered and accordingly, have different features and output capacities. Most electric trucks will not require much additional counterbalance weight as the battery powering it will prove to be a good offset in itself. Many counterbalance forklift trucks have side shifts, a mast tilt facility, and often driver cabs.

Three wheel counterbalance forklift trucks

These trucks work on the same basic principle as the other counterbalance trucks but come with an additional feature. By placing a single drive wheel towards the center of the rear of the truck, the designers have increased its manoeuvrability manifolds. 3 wheel counterbalance machines are perfect for use in applications where space is limited due to their tight turning circles and excellent manoeuvrability. They are also ideally suited to applications that require inside and outside use and racking loading. The combination of counterbalance under-clearance and tight manoeuvrability ensures maximum productivity. These counterbalance forklift trucks are also a great option for storage facilities and wholesale goods stores as they help in maximising the space available.

In case you are looking for more information about counterbalance forklift trucks or need to buy one of them at the very best of prices, be sure to visit the website RicoEquipment.com.

About The Author

Dwayne Jonas is an expert in forklift machinery and loading/unloading equipment. He loves writing detailed articles about these devices for the benefit of people who are looking for this information. He recommends RicoEquipment.com as the best name to trust for counterbalance forklift trucks and more machines of this type.